Cache
by Lucifer Rosemaunt
Summary: 20in20, part 3. Round 3 challenge, last five. Drabbles of Author's Choice. Tron/Sam slash.


Title: Cache  
#: drabbles 16-20  
Author: Lucifer Rosemaunt

Fandom: Tron: Legacy  
Pairing(s): Tron/Sam  
Summary: 20in20, part 3. Round 3 challenge, last five. Drabbles of Author's Choice.  
Warning(s): some het  
Word Count: About 2,500  
Rating: ranges, but mostly K+

A/N: I desperately want to watch everything related to Tron but haven't found the time nor the means to so far. I'll get there and I'll try to be less uninformed in the future because I do want to write a multi-chaptered Tron fic at some point.  
Story note: The themes I wrote are really just whatever I felt like. I basically wrote the drabbles without having a specific theme in mind. Same note about voting: I'm fairly certain that there is to be voting of some sort going on from April 21-25, 2012 on the lj comm site: tron20in20. livejournal. com. There's more fic there, which is reason enough to visit IMHO.

o.o.o.o

Theme: AC 1 - Delirious  
Rating: K  
Warnings: fluff

His body aches enough that he doesn't have the energy or the strength to roll over to find a more comfortable position on his bed even though he is incredibly uncomfortable. His eyes feel like they are going to melt out of his skull, and his throat is raw enough that he is beginning to seriously consider breathing to be optional if it gets any worse.

However, he isn't so far gone that he can't appreciate the sight of a coup d'état hardened security program, one that hardly shows any emotion more than stoic disapproval or stoic encouragement or stoic something looking disheveled and very near something Sam would call panic even though he can hardly believe his own eyes.

It is a relief though to feel something other than sorry for himself even though it's a mixture of amusement and sorry for Tron. He doesn't mean to worry him and he has no intention of catching the flu ever again and feeling this horrible. But in a way, it is nice. It is the first time he's seen Tron lose his composure, to falter – their fearless program not knowing what to do. And he knows there is no way he should feel happy at a time like this, is barely even able to muster up the emotion, but it's there, tugging at the corner of his lips because he's suddenly absolutely certain that Tron cares about him.

.

Theme: AC 2 - Psychology  
Rating: K+

Alan rushes to Sam's home, practicing in his head the proper way to explain to the boy who is as much his son as Jet is what he has just seen. He doesn't think there's going to be an easy way to do this and he almost wishes he had left work later, or at least late enough that he wouldn't have seen Quorra and Junior pawing at each other in the parking structure before getting into Junior's sports car to leave.

He can't believe it. Or maybe, he doesn't want to believe it because Sam finally seems like he's settling down. Quorra has been such a good influence on him, and Alan can only just imagine what's going to happen now. He has finally been able to get a good night's rest, not having to worry about what Sam might be up to. More than that of course, he has never seen Sam so happy, relaxed. Alan shuts the engine of his car and takes a moment to stare at the garage that Sam still calls his home. He has never seen Sam so content, and the sudden surge of anger at Quorra makes him take another moment to calm down. It won't do Sam any good if they're both angry.

He sneaks around to the other side because the garage door is always open when Sam's home and Alan almost wishes that it's closed so he has more time to think of what to say. Turning the corner though, he freezes, confronted with a situation that barely makes any sense to him for long moments.

He's kissing Sam, and he has to physically shake his head at that thought because he's certain Kevin Flynn's about to strike him down from the heavens and he, himself, doesn't even know how to resolve that with his earlier parental thoughts. But _he's _not kissing Sam, his younger version is. Tron is kissing Sam. Tron is… he must have made a sound because they pull apart and both of their eyes are trained on him.

Sam mutters something at him before standing. "Alan…" He clears his throat, looking just a fraction as uncomfortable as Alan feels right now. Tron's still sitting on the couch, although he looks poised to stand at any moment.

Alan knows he should say something reassuring because that's what it looks like Sam needs at the moment. He needs Alan to be okay with this even though Alan's just as certain that what he _wants _right now is for him to not be here and to forget about everything he's seen.

The only thing that comes out of his mouth however is, "I'm not sure that's what Freud had in mind."

.

Theme: AC 3 - Competition  
Rating: K+

Sam can count on one hand the number of times he's beaten Tron at anything. It's rather unfair, and he knows he shouldn't compete with a program designed to be good at practically everything, but he's a _User _damn it, and that should mean something. Sure, Tron's technically his instructor when it comes to self-defense and fighting, but it would be nice every once in a while to enter a spar and not end it on the floor with a disc at his throat or with his arm twisted behind his back and a disc at his throat, or anything really involving a disc poised to injure any of his body parts.

So, Sam avoids trying to beat Tron in those situations and learns to appreciate the finer aspects of being manhandled by the program, but still, he wants to beat him at something. That's the main reason he programs some lightcycles that can go off-grid. It's not completely fair since Sam's had more experience off-grid than Tron on the lightcycles, but it's as close to even as they're going to get since Tron's technically had years of training and honing his instincts; so, the disc battles could hardly be called fair either.

But life's never been fair to Sam and he's reacquainted with that fact the moment he flips over his lightcycle, which is in the middle of derezzing after being unable to dodge the jutting corner of a mountainside that seemingly jumped in front of him. He hits the ground and knows well enough to roll with the impact. Tron's double-backed for him and probably is worried and chastising himself for another injury that isn't his fault, but Sam just lays there doing a mental categorization of his injuries: bruises, a lot of bruises and his pride. He thinks he may have broken his pride. But, his cycle had derezzed in a rather spectacular firework bonanza, which had been amazing if he thinks about it now.

He doesn't think about it because Tron's cycle slides to a stop beside him. Sam waves him off, "I'm fine." He doesn't move and neither does Tron, which is curious. Looking up at his face, Sam frowns because the bastard's not even gloating. He can read the smugness there anyway; the security program doesn't even get off the cycle to help him.

However, he amends that thought when Tron offers a hand to him. Sam doesn't hesitate to grab it, but he is surprised when Tron pulls him to sit behind him on the cycle. Tron gives no warning when he starts moving, and Sam doesn't have any other choice than to grab Tron around the waist and hold on as tightly as possible. He ignores the fact that he has another baton on him or that he could very easily program another bike on the fly and instead focuses on the way he's pressed firmly against Tron: groin, chest, face. He wants to laugh and does when Tron suddenly revs the cycle, causing him to jerk against him. The wind whips past them, and the sound of his laughter disperses into the ether.

Sam's already planning on winning the next time they race so he'll be able to force Tron to ride behind him.

.

Theme: AC 4 – Caught  
Rating: T  
Warning: AU

Sam slips into Encom and can't help but think to himself that they really do need to upgrade their security system. Sure, this is the fourth time this month that he's broken into the building – a different way each time, he might add – but that should be more than enough reason to have a harder rather than an easier time to break in. Then again, where would all his fun go if any of the board members ever learned of his visits? Although, the entire world knows of that prerequisite, first official visit to his father's ex-company.

He has never had one of his yearly pranks go so right and so wrong at the same time. Of course he accomplished his goal, but the new security guard that they hired had actually caught him. It had been a surprise then, and Sam had been certain at the time, a fluke, which had been the reason for the subsequent visit the very next week. And, which is technically the same reason for this week's visit as well.

He makes it to R&D before he finds himself face first into the nearest wall, a body that's becoming quite familiar to him by this point trapping him against it. Each of his hands is grabbed by the wrists and held over his head by the guard's, even though Sam doesn't struggle. He does, however, wonder how the hell the man can be so damn silent all the time. He's certain that this time around he hadn't even slipped when it came to the security cameras.

"I was told to expect only a once a year visit from you." The guard's breath is hot against his neck and Sam wonders when they turned off all the air conditioning in the building.

He does regain enough of his senses to reply, "I was told to be wary of people named after video games." He tests the strength of the guard's hold on him and his arms do nothing but strain against the wall. He stifles the groan that threatens to escape.

"I didn't name myself," and the guard takes a deep breath in and Sam's convinced that the man's smelling him. "But, I do appreciate you researching me."

Sam finally makes an effort to free himself, needing to see the man's face when they're speaking. The guard seems to take the hint and flips him around so quickly that when his back hits the wall and his hands are once again pinned above his head, the only thing Sam can do is catch his breath. Well, catch his breath and stare at floppy brown hair, blue eyes, and skin that Sam really just wants to touch. The guy seems unreal at times.

Realizing that he's staring, he scrambles to continue their conversation, "I find it quite ironic though, that you'd want to work for this company, _Tron_." He emphasizes his name, and it doesn't feel any less awkward to say it aloud than it sounds in his head.

"Funny." The left side of his lip quirks up and Sam can't help but stare at the motion. Tron says, "I find it ironic that you wouldn't."

At that, Sam can't help but frown. He already knows what everyone expects of him. He doesn't really need a security guard to give him a lecture, and he thinks that his tests and these visits are over and done with. The man's good at his job; that's obvious. Sam's been caught and released several times already and he knows that Tron'll just get tired of his antics as quickly as everyone else gets tired of him. "Are we going to have a conversation or are you going to let me go?"

Tron smirks and Sam ignores the way his heart speeds up. His response shouldn't surprise him that much, but it does anyway.

"I guess that's all up to you."

.

Theme: AC 5 – Demons  
Rating: K+

Sam's afraid the first night Tron sleeps in the User world might very well be the last. He's woken by a knee to his back and the subsequent push that has him vacating the bed in favor of the hardwood floor. He's not even mad, despite his usual temperament when someone disturbs his sleep. In fact, he's about to make a crack about it to Tron because this never happens on the Grid – mostly because he's sure that Tron doesn't so much sleep as he simply holds and watches over Sam when _he_ sleeps. It should be disturbing, but Sam hates to admit that there's a bit of comfort in the fact that Tron's always looking out for him.

But Tron's still asleep, looking for all the world that he's trapped, unwillingly held in the throes of something horrible and Sam doesn't know what to do, conflicting accounts of making sure not to wake someone up abruptly from a nightmare to the simple desire of freeing him from whatever he's seeing. It dawns on him with increasing horror, just what Tron could possibly be dreaming of at the moment, the things he's seen. The things he's done.

And Sam knows he can't just leave him to face that alone; so, he starts small, whispers Tron's name over and over again, attempting to gently rouse him, but his words are lost in the grunts and sporadic shouts that Tron's just starting to let loose. A hand on his shoulder is just pushed off; a grasp on his arm is punched off and Sam's never been happier that his reflexes have improved quite a bit.

For long moments, he can't even get close enough, a simple dip of the bed causing Tron to react. It's when he sees tear tracks on his face that Sam has enough of trying to be gentle, which ends up escalating their interactions into an all out brawl. There's no finesse to it, no grace that Tron usually possesses because he's erratic and careless: nails, teeth, and swung arms, but that's fine because Sam manages to subdue him from the openings given.

He ends up straddling him, both of their arms twisted in the sheets, and Sam's shouting his name repeatedly between cursing him for being so damn stubborn. He doesn't even know what he's saying by the end of it, doesn't understand what else to do and he barely realizes that his eyes have begun to tear up in the midst of his cursing Tron for not listening to him, for not trusting him enough so that they could face whatever he was seeing together.

He's so caught up in what he's saying that it takes him a moment to notice when Tron stops fighting him. The tear tracks are still visible even in the meager moonlight, even in the shadow that Sam casts on him, but Sam knows his face is probably worse. Tron looks wrecked, and Sam's never felt so exhausted in his life. He opens his mouth expecting some platitude to come out because that has to be better than nothing and he can't really explain why he'd been angry with him just seconds ago when he barely understands it himself, but nothing comes out. He has nothing.

So, when Tron carefully extracts their arms from the sheets, he mutely watches it happen, and when he reaches up to pull him down in a tight hug, Sam snuggles closer, burrows into the warmth of his side, buries his face in the crook of his arm to hide his face on Tron's chest. And even though he's sure Tron will not sleep tonight, he pretends to fall asleep all the while wondering how he could possibly look out for Tron as well.

o.o.o.o

End third installment, The End.

A/N: Don't forget to R/R (Read and Review)!  
Fic Review: btw, I wanted to ship Quorra and Junior, but then I was going through fanarts and the like and then I saw that video/clip on youtube and now I ship Alan and Junior like mad. It's not even fair how much I ship them.

I really like the AU (#4) though.


End file.
